West Bridge Journals

On the Eight Day God Made the Correctional Officer.

And on the eight day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “Some men are sinful and evil abounds and must be punished, and I need a caretaker for them.” So God made a correctional officer. God said, “I need somebody that is upright, honest, who is willing to work 12 hour days making sure that those with damaged personalitiesstay behind the fence, and are fed and clothed. I need someone to protect staff and protect the inmates from each other, and get the sick and injured treated by medical staff.” God said, “I need someone to listen to their stories, put them to bed, wake them up, make them work, lock them up when they don’t, stop their fights, prevent their suicide attempts. And in the some cases, I need someone to do a cell extraction when the inmates cover themselves with blood and fecal matter and refuse to come out of their cell. I need somebody that can think on their feet, spot trouble instantly, make the right call, and go in harms way without hesitation.” God said, “I want them to do all this with only a can of pepper spray, a body alarm, handcuffs and a radio for protection.” Then at the end of their shift they would go home and love on their family like never before, because they have seen the worst that humanity can be.

He said, “And I know there will be times when they will be short handed and even have to work double shifts or get called back in to work. And sadly I know there will be times, due to being short handed, one of the officers I made would find themselves in a dorm or on the yard alone, and they would wind up giving their last full measure. The ultimate sacrifice. It is for these that My Son said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

God said, “I looked down on my correctional officers and saw that it was good.”